cupe

Two of Toronto’s largest universities are facing strike turmoil, triggered by a Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) walkout.

These labour actions will cause educational disruptions across the Greater Toronto Area. It would also cause economic disruption as pickets are unfurled onto the streets. In regards to numbers, that’s more than 100,000 undergraduates affected just as the finally lap of the school year begins.

Up at York University, the administration cancelled all classes today, as well as exams and academic extra-circulars activities in response to the strike vote by CUPE 3903. 3,700 York staff who were allowed to vote, including teaching assistants and contract professors, voted at night on Monday March 2, 2015.

Two weeks ago, the Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay locked out its municipal workers.

The 43 members of CUPE Local 2019 are fighting to keep their Defined Benefit (DB) pension plan, which their employer is looking to downgrade. In a 96 per cent strike vote, the workers rejected the Town's demand for a two-tiered pension plan, which would have seen all new hires move to a Defined Contribution (DC) plan.

"The 48 members at the local have said look, a defined contribution plan is nothing better than an RRSP and that's an absolute sell-out to the next generation," said President of CUPE Newfoundland and Labrador Wayne Lucas.

The battle to unionize the Residence Fellows at Carleton University is over – for now, at least.

Last night, the residence fellows – who work in the dorms at Carleton – voted 29-28 not to join the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) 4600. There were four abstentions.

The group made headlines in late December 2013 when, due to a miscommunication error, CUPE National’s office blocked the group from organizing despite the fact that they had successfully signed 50 per cent of their union cards. In January, CUPE reversed its position and offered support for the residence fellows' union drive.

Organizers and former residence fellows Marina Tronin, Miranda Moores and Shelisa Klassen released the following statement to rabble today:

It turns out that Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) will be helping Carleton University residence fellows unionize, after all. Just over a month ago, the union released a statement saying they would not accept the workers.

"It’s quite clear now. They are certainly eligible and we want to organize them," said CUPE President Paul Moist this week.

The union's early December refusal was a surprise to the would-be organizers, who had 50 per cent of union cards signed and the support of CUPE Local 4600 at the time.